The Ogun State police on Monday, May 4, 2015 revealed that Abayomi Komolafe, the man who was driving the bullion van that killed a 19-year-old carpentry apprentice, Gbenga Okesola, did not have a driving licence.
The incident, which occurred last Thursday, April 30, 2015 in Abeokuta, sparked a riot after the van driver, Komolafe, kept driving the vehicle reportedly dragging the 19 year old on the road for about five kilometres, before he stopped.The young man’s body was said to have been immediately dumped on the roadside by the policemen who escorted the vehicle.
The bullion van had hit Okesola, who was riding a motorcycle, when he fell under it.
The police told the Magistrate Court sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta that the 31-year-old driver also drove the vehicle without possessing other necessary documents such as vehicle’s licence, insurance and the Road Worthiness Certificate.
He was charged with reckless driving and manslaughter.
The police informed the court that Komolafe was employed by the United Bank for Africa to drive the bullion van when the incident occured.
The police prosecutor, Inspector Sunday Eigbejiale, said the accused, who drove a Mercedes Benz bullion van with number plate, PF 281 SPY, drove the vehicle in a reckless manner and thereby caused the death of Okesola.
He said, “The accused drove the vehicle without possessing the necessary documents such as driver’s and vehicle licences, insurance papers and the Road Worthiness Certificate.”
He said the offences contravened sections 18, 7 (1) 14 (1), 25 (2) (b) (p) of the Road Traffic Law, Vol 4, Law of the Ogun State, 2006 and Section 31 (1) of the Motor Vehicle Third Party Insurance Act.
The accused, whose plea was not taken by the court, was represented by Isreal Shogbamu.
Shogbamu applied for the bail of the accused in liberal terms and assured the court that he would not jump bail.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr. Anthony Araba, granted the accused bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum and ordered that the bullion van be left on the court premises.
He adjourned the case till June 5, 2015.
Also no fewer than 10 other suspects, who were arrested at the scene of the incident by the police were also brought to court on charges of breach of the peace.
Among them was the boss of the deceased, Saliu Aremu.
He was said to have rushed to the scene of the accident when the news of his apprentice’s death got to him.
